Le Pin, Pomerol, 2021

Name: Le Pin, Pomerol
Brand: Le Pin
Price: 2703.59 GBP

Available Vintages

all 2010 2015 2016 2017 2018 2020 2021

justerini & brooks tasting note

Jacques is handing the day-to-day oversight of all his estates to Diana Berrouet Garcia, formally of neighbouring Chateau Petit Village. As has been the case with recent vintages, Le Pin is a bit more reserved and serious than Petit Jacques' wines of old. Somewhat dialled back aromatics of plums, exotic spices and cedar introduce a velvety wave of beautifully textured fruit. As one would expect from this address where the "terroir loves Merlot", the fruit is seamless, round and generous, yet the acidity keeps this vibrant and focussed. Although utterly seductive from barrel, we have no doubt this possesses the gravitas required for aging. A beautifully nuanced and refreshing Le Pin. 100% Merlot (as usual).

critic reviews

96/100Lisa Perrotti-Brown,The Wine Independent

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2021 Le Pin needs a few swirls to release evocative scents of juicy black and red plums, black cherries, and black raspberries, giving way to fragrant scents of red roses, cinnamon stick, black truffles, and underbrush, with a touch of cardamom. The medium-bodied palate is filled with vibrant black berry layers and red berry sparks, framed by gorgeous, ripe, rounded tannins and amazing freshness, finishing long and perfumed. This wine is a breathtaking achievement, considering the challenges of this vintage.

DRINKING WINDOW 2027 - 2047

date of review 04/2024

95/100Neal Martin,Vinous

The 2021 Le Pin showed impressively from barrel. Now in bottle since the beginning of June 2022, it has evolved since then, developing more depth and delineation. Oddly, you might misconstrue this as containing some Cabernet Franc (though, of course, it is 100% Merlot). The palate is medium-bodied with finely chiseled tannins. It has a wonderful symmetry and, although it declines to fan out on the finish like a top growing season, it is fresh and saline, beckoning you back for another sip. Lovely.

DRINKING WINDOW 2029 - 2055

date of review 02/2024

95/100William Kelley,Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The 2021 Le Pin has turned out beautifully in bottle, bursting with aromas of raspberries and blackberries mingled with notions of pencil shavings, spices, black truffle and licorice, framed by a discreet touch of new oak (only 55% new this year). Medium to full-bodied, ample and enveloping, it's suave and sensual, with a fleshy core of fruit and beautifully refined tannins and concludes with a long, rose-inflected finish. Le Pin, after all, is an early-ripening, well-drained terroir, so it's hardly surprising that it should perform especially well in a vintage like 2021.

DRINKING WINDOW 2027 - 2047

date of review 02/2024

94/100Jane Anson,Inside Bordeaux

Jewel-ruby colour, this has layers of nuanced black fruits and campfire smoke on the nose. One of the more delicate renditions of Le Pin after a number of years of powerful seduction, this is vivid and juicy, heading towards brambled raspberry fruits, with finely-spun tannins and a twist of liquorice bud and grilled earth. The deep gravels of Le Pin (among the deepest of Pomerol, up to 6m) were able to ripen earlier than most areas, and this still delivers an arresting wine, with nuance, hidden power, and beauty. But it may not still the conversation in a room the way that the best vintages of this remarkable wine can do. 75% new oak. Diana Berrouet arrived in January 2022 (from Ch Petit Village) to Le Pin for the blending of this vintage, working with viticulturalist and consulting winemaker Guillaume Thienpont. 35hl/h yield, harvest November 25 to October 4. No frost impact, no mildew either. They made no 2013 and no 2003 here, so if they are making it, it's a good sign that they are happy with it.

DRINKING WINDOW 2026 - 2042

date of review 05/2022